Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

DELPHI: I’ll go further than that — I’ll say Cedric would have understood. We’ll destroy it together, and then we’ll go to my uncle. Explain the situation.

ALBUS: Thank you.

DELPHI

smiles at them sadly, and then takes the Time-Turner. She looks at it and her expression changes slightly.

Oh, nice mark.

DELPHI: What?

DELPHI

’s cloak has loosened. An Augurey tattoo is visible on the back of her neck.

ALBUS: On your back. I hadn’t noticed it before. The wings. Is that what the Muggles call a tattoo?

DELPHI: Oh. Yes. Well, it’s an Augurey.

SCORPIUS: An Augurey?

DELPHI: Haven’t you met them in Care of Magical Creatures? They’re sinister-looking black birds that cry when rain’s coming. Wizards used to believe that the Augurey’s cry foretold death. When I was growing up my guardian kept one in a cage.

SCORPIUS: Your . . . guardian?

DELPHI

looks at

SCORPIUS

, now she has the Time-Turner she’s enjoying the game of this.

DELPHI: She used to say it was crying because it could see I was going to come to a sticky end. She didn’t like me much. Euphemia Rowle . . . she only took me in for the gold.

ALBUS: Why would you want a tattoo of her bird, then?

DELPHI: It reminds me that the future is mine to make.

ALBUS: Cool. I might get an Augurey tattoo.

SCORPIUS: The Rowles were pretty extreme Death Eaters.

A thousand thoughts whir inside

SCORPIUS

’s head.

ALBUS: Come on, let’s get destroying . . . Confringo? Stupefy? Bombarda? Which would you use?

SCORPIUS: Give it back. Give us back the Time-Turner.

DELPHI: What?

ALBUS: Scorpius? What are you doing?

SCORPIUS: I don’t believe you ever were ill. Why didn’t you come to Hogwarts? Why are you here now?

DELPHI: I’m trying to bring my cousin back!

SCORPIUS: They called you the Augurey. In — the other world — they called you the Augurey.

A slow smile grows on

DELPHI

’s face.

DELPHI: The Augurey? I rather like that.

ALBUS: Delphi?

She’s too quick. Leveling her wand, she repels

SCORPIUS

, and she is far stronger.

SCORPIUS

tries to keep her back, but she quickly overpowers him.

DELPHI: Fulgari!

SCORPIUS

’s arms are bound in vicious, luminous cords.

SCORPIUS: Albus. Run!

ALBUS

looks around, bewildered. And then starts to run.

DELPHI: Fulgari!

ALBUS

is propelled to the floor, his hands tied by the same brutal binding.

And that is the first spell I’ve had to use on you. I thought I’d have to use plenty more. But you’re far easier to control than Amos — children, particularly male children, are so naturally pliant, aren’t they? Now, let’s sort this mess out once and for all . . .

ALBUS: But why? But what? But who are you?

DELPHI: Albus. I am the new past.

She pulls

ALBUS

’s wand from him and snaps it.

I am the new future.

She pulls

SCORPIUS

’s wand from him and snaps it.

I am the answer this world has been looking for.

ACT THREE, SCENE SEVENTEEN

MINISTRY OF MAGIC, HERMIONE’S OFFICE

RON is sitting on HERMIONE’s desk eating porridge.

RON: I can’t get over it, really. The fact that in some realities we aren’t even, you know, married.

HERMIONE: Ron, whatever this is, I’ve got ten minutes until the goblins show up to talk security at Gringotts —

RON: I mean, we’ve been together so long — and married for so long — I mean, so long —

HERMIONE: If this is your way of saying you want a marital break, Ron, then, to be clear, I will skewer you with this quill.

RON: Shut up. Will you shut up for once? I want to do one of those marriage renewal things I’ve read about. Marriage renewal. What do you think?

HERMIONE (melting slightly): You want to marry me again?

RON: Well, we were only young when we did it the first time and I got very drunk and — well, to be honest, I can’t remember much of it and . . . The truth is — I love you, Hermione Granger, and whatever time says — I’d like the opportunity to say so in front of lots of other people. Again. Sober.

She looks at him, she smiles, she pulls him to her, she kisses him.

HERMIONE: You’re sweet.

RON: And you taste of toffee . . .

HERMIONE

laughs.

HARRY

,

GINNY

, and

DRACO

walk in on them as they move to kiss again. They spring apart.